The Orphan of El De
by Defectivealloy
Summary: After a tragic incident an orphan pushes onward, though not unscathed. He makes an unexpected bond, and now must work to fufill its potential while his past comes back to haunt him. Perhaps a few pointers from an island full of vikings may come in handy.
1. Night of Crimson

It was a night like no other. No stars were seen, and all the Flashbugs had dispersed the vicinity of the South El De District. The only lights to be seen emitted from the southernmost village, but the cause was unnatural.

Smoldering pyres bathed the village, and residents were fleeing in terror. The only hunters on hand were three bow users and three bowgunners, who engaged the attacking monster. They opened fire upon the mysterious beast, which was considerably larger than any human, Feyline or Wyverian. The opposing threat reeled back, growling in annoyance at the combined artillery fire.

"Retreat!" One of the hunters said as soon as the beast began squealing almost like a baby eagle would, followed by a volley of meteors that fell in the direction they were fleeing. Losing one of their bowgunners to a meteor, the hunters split off, with two groups attempting to flank the beast while one of the bow users took cover to exchange her arrow coatings. With the right coating, she was about to head back into the fray until she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. In the rubble of one of the village houses, a lone boy sat curled up by a stone pillar, afraid for his very life. The lone bow hunter took initiative, heading towards the boy as the beast marched onward toward her comrades.

"Hey, kid. Are you okay?" She asks, receiving a shivering nod in response.

"My name is Quilena, what's yours?"

"D-Dreigul…" He quivered.

"Okay Dreigul, here's what's going to happen, I'm going to take you out of here, and you're gonna take the next ferry to Jumbo Village in the morning. Do you understand?"

The kid nods, and Quilena holds out her hand for him to grab. She leads him out of the debris and runs for the nearest village exit, all while the beast continues to do battle with her allies. Roars and blood curdling screams ran rampant throughout the skirmish.

As soon as they reached the outskirts of the village, Quilena lets go of his hand, and set him up with Zenny a few Energy Drinks.

"Okay Dreigul, this is where we part ways. Jumbo Village has a trade vessel that departs every morning, this should buy you passage," She hands him an Airship Ticket. "Now stick to the shoreline, be sure to signal them when they arrive." Quilena continued, walking back towards the village.

"Where are you going?" Dreigul asked.

"I'm going to do my job, if you don't see me by the time the trade ship comes, don't wait up."

Quilena reenters the inferno, leaving an indecisive Dreigul at the gates.

* * *

Quilena hurries further into the village, readying her bow and looking for her comrades. She stops at the village center, unable to see due to the excessive ember waves that hindered her vision. Suddenly a low growl was emitted, causing her to turn to the source. The smoke that was previously blocking visibility was dispersed by vile wings, giving her a good look at the monster that she and her comrades were fighting.

It was a slender bodied beast, its arms and legs were versatile enough to shift between locomotive postures. Black scales covered its back whilst crimson scales spanned abdominally from its lower jaw to its tail. Three symmetrical horns donned its crest, and one overgrown horn that towered above the rest. Two beady yellow eyes leered into Quilena's very being as it held the limp body one of her comrades in its arm.

Throwing the body aside the crimson beast charged after her on all fours, attempting to take a huge chunk of flesh off her. She responded by dodging the snapping jaws, firing off a few arrows at it. Shrugging them off, the monster continues going after her, smashing any leftover debris that got in its way. With all the debris flying about Quilena had to somersault out of the way, which was what it wanted. The beast had systematically trapped her in a corner, making escape impossible.

The dreaded fiend licked its chaps and prepped to turn Quilena to ash, until a volley of two bowgun rounds struck its side. The beast turned only to see a young boy carrying an extremely large weapon as if he could barely hold it.

"Dreigul, you fool!" Quilena yelled as the immense serpent turned to the boy, striking Quilena with its tail and launching her into the blaze. The beast began closing in on Dreigul, ready to eliminate the nuisance as the boy tried loading in more rounds quickly. He cocked back the bowgun when he reached the capacity and immediately fired three shots, the recoil guiding the bullets to targets he wasn't even expecting to hit. The bullets first hit the arm, then the neck, and soon dead center in the beast's right eye. Recoiling, the serpent fell over backwards and wriggled around attempting to divert the intense pain elsewhere, to no avail. Failing to do what he came to do, Dreigul used the time to flee from the smoldering village and head for the shoreline as previously directed.

The crimson beast rose back up from the ground, looking around for the meek being who dared to blind it. With no sign of Dreigul and no scent of any other hunters, the serpent spread its wings, and took to the skies.

* * *

Dreigul had made it to the shoreline, and looked back to what used to be his home village. He began tearing up, only until a loud roar pierced the night sky. The young boy saw a lanky figure fly out of the wreckage and circle around, prompting him to conceal himself in the sand so he wouldn't be spotted. Covering everything but his eyes, the boy watched for several minutes as the monster hovered over the village's vicinity, then leave to whence it came.

A sigh left his body, followed by shivers of grief and cold. Though the Wyverian elders of his village taught him to regard the monsters as if they were their own neighbors, Dreigul couldn't help but disregard their teachings in a fit of silent fury and fear. The experience had shaken his very core, and he couldn't cope with the loss. He was mortified. He was alone. He was an orphan.


	2. A Disconcerting Destiny

It was overcast, the density of the clouds just barely hid the airship that departed from Jumbo Village. The crew waited restlessly for a visual in the sea of clouds, but they were too thick for the airship's Feyline scout to properly do his job.

"Do you see anything yet?" The helmsman asked.

"The clouds are thick, but I can just barely meowke out the end of the stretch." The scout replied.

"Understood, increasing speed. I would rather not wait for an ambush."

The airship proceeded until finally breaking away from the sea of clouds. The crew eyed the isle of South El De and gasped in horror, for the village they traded with decades on end was completely destroyed.

"My gog, what happened here?" the scout asked as the airship circled the charred remains of the village.

"Are there any survivors?" the airship's captain questioned, as he walked toward the scout.

"Doesn't look like there are survivors, but we could set her down to purrceed on foot if you give the order." The scout said to the captain, who slowly walked to the edge of the bridge.

"Prepare to land, see if there's anything that'll tell us what happened." He said calmly.

"Roger captain. Preparing to land." The helmsman says, taking the airship down to the ground.

The airship landed, prompting the crew to walk through the charred remains of village buildings, sifting through the rubble to find clues.

"This is out of the meowdinary, captain. The tracks are way too fur apawrt to be any run of the meowll wyvern." The scout said, clinging to the captain's coat.

"Indeed… this is very troubling." He said, running his fingers through his lengthened beard.

"Captain, look!" His First Mate said.

The captain turns to his crewmate's direction, who pointed downward.

The captain walked to his side whilst viewing the area his First Mate pointed to. It was an impact crater, with a sizzling Powderstone at its epicenter.

"There are many other craters that have similar traits all over town. What are powderstones doing outside of a Volcano?" The First Mate asked.

"I'm unsure, bu-" The captain began to reply, only to be distracted by a red substance that slid down a slanted chunk of debris. Pulling out a knife from his pocket, he cautiously approached the substance and scraped the oozing liquid onto it. Holding it up to his nose, he took a strong whiff of the substance and his eyes widened.

"It's blood!" The captain shuddered.

"Blood?! Get it away from my fur!" the scout said in disgust.

"Captain, are you alright?" his First Mate asked, worried.

"We need to leave immediately, this isn't any old blood!" The captain panicked. "All hands head for the ship, posthaste!"

"Aye-Aye, captain!" The crew shouted.

The crew of Jumbo Village sped back to their airship and prepared to take off.

"Captain what's wrong?" The first mate asked.

"The blood I scraped on my knife, it was Elder Dragon Blood! The craters, the lanky footprints, all the signs point to a Crimson Fatalis!" The captain said to his crew, spooking them.

"No need to tell me to take off!" the helmsman said, immediately veering the airship upward.

* * *

Dreigul awoke from a swift slumber, unable to sleep well since the previous night's events. He dusts himself off as he gets up, noticing an airship departing the destroyed village, prompting him to immediately run.

"HEY! WAIIIT!" he shouted, praying to get their attention.

* * *

The scout's ears twitched, prompting him to look down from the airship.

"Captain, there's a boy on the shore!" the scout shouted.

"Are we low enough to lower a ladder?" the captain asked, gazing at the boy.

"Affirmative," the First Mate said.

"Do it, now!"

The First Mate relayed the order, and the crew dropped the ladder. Unraveling at a tremendous speed, the ladder whipped downwards to Dreigul's eye level. He ran to the ladder and rushed up as the airship proceeded to flee from the isle.

Dreigul gets to the top, and is helped up by the airship's crewmates. He hands the captain his airship ticket.

"I have no idea how you got out of there kid, but I'll give you serious props for surviving an Elder Dragon attack." The captain smirked, scratching his beard.

"Um, thanks I guess, but the credit shouldn't go all to me." Dreigul replied blankly.

"There were others?" the Captain inquired.

"6 hunters."

"Quilena's hunting party. We found 4 of their corpses and a singed arm, but nothing else." The First Mate informed the Captain.

"Son, can you tell me what happened to the Fatalis?" The Captain queried.

"I tried… I tried to save..Quilena…oh gog…" Dreigul began to shudder.

"Focus boy, that girl don't need no saving. Now continue." The captain reassured.

"I…shot out its eye…"

The crew stared at him, jaws agape.

"Kid, what'd mew say your nyame was?" The scout asked excitedly.

"D-Dreigul,"

The crew sans the captain hoisted the boy on their shoulders, hearty laughs escaping their maws whilst the scout roughed up his hair.

"Good going, Dreigul! That's a feat only ace hunters get to relish in!" The first mate exclaimed.

"That meowst've taken a lotta courage to do! I tip my hat to mew, sir!" The scout added.

"Gentlemen, Gentlemen. Let's not overwhelm our young hero." The Captain chimed in. "Unfortunately we got paperwork to do back at home, since we've lost a full day's quota and a vital trading neighbor. I'd like to come home before trouble befalls us. All ahead full, man your stations gents."

"Aye, Aye cap!" they all say, before placing Dreigul down on the deck and heading for their designated work areas. The captain turns to Dreigul, noticing his eyes tremble in between his drooped eyelids.

"Son, you're free to use any of the cabins. You look like you haven't had much shuteye. The scout will show you the way."

Dreigul nodded as the scout pulled onto his tattered shirt, and followed behind the spry Feyline into the crew cabins.

"Feel free to choose a hammock. It isn't meowch but it's safe in here, purromise." the scout happily said.

"Thank you." Dreigul said as the scout returned to his duties.

The boy picked a hammock in the corner of the room, and climbed in. He lay in the hammock, swinging slightly before satisfied enough to pass out.

* * *

Dreigul woke up, startled after hearing intense snoring from the crew. A cold chill from and an eerie teal light from an open door told him that it was nighttime. A figure enters, making its way to him.

"Are you awake?" the captain asked.

Dreigul merely nods, not wanting to wake the crew.

"Come with me..." The captain ordered, walking to the ship's bow.

Dreigul followed behind the captain, who led him to a secluded area. He put his arms on the ship's railings, and gestured for Dreigul to do the same. After a deep sigh, the captain spoke.

"You're not the only person here who's survived an attack like that, kid."

"Fatalis as well?" Dreigul asked, piqued in curiosity.

The captain shook his head side to side.

"The Black God. Damn thing attacked the caravan I used to be a part of when we went to Ingle Isle. Before it had the chance to do severe damage, I ran into the fray and whaled on it with my Dual Blades until I carved off one of its tusks."

"Did you kill it?" Dreigul inquired.

"Not at that point, no. Due to our lack of Cool Drinks, we fled to the mainland and things went quiet for a time. Weeks passed by, we're about to head home from a Uragaan hunt, and we get blindsided. The same bastard obliterated my company in a matter of minutes. I'll never forget how fast their skin peeled off from that ear-piercing roar."

Dreigul's eyes teared up to the captain's tale.

"It did its best to devour me, but after my two blades skewered the roof of its maw it went down. I'm lucky I jumped out before the jaws hit the ground, definitely helped that I removed a tusk. Only reason why I'm alive today is my trusty scout, who notified the guild for extraction. The black god that tormented me is now the soul of this very airship, a constant reminder of my failure."

He slapped his palm on the ships railing, turned to Dreigul and continued.

"Do you understand what I'm trying to say, young man?"

Dreigul looked at the captain, puzzled. The captain continued.

"You've practically painted a target on your back. If the black god came _all the way_ from Ingle Isle to the mainland seeking me out for vengeance, could you imagine the lengths the _Fatalis_ will go once it's gotten used to one eye?"

Dreigul's heart sank as his body did the same.

"No, no, no you don't! Stand back up, son."

The captain said, trying to get the terrified boy back on his own two feet. "This is you're responsibility! You gotta own it, kid!"

"It's coming back...It's coming back..." Dreigul shuddered.

"Yeah, it's gonna! Not a doubt, but you have a chance if you fight to survive!" the captain reassured, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"What do I do?"

"The zenny Quilena gave you, still got it?"

Dreigul nodded.

"Good, I strongly advise against staying in villages often. The first thing I want you to get is a weapon, any weapon will do. Then get yourself a barbecue spit and potions, you'll need 'em to brave the great outdoors. Always be on the move, and only head into villages to restock and improve your wares." The captain instructed, giving the boy a stern look. The captain gives him more zenny and an unlit torch.

"Just in case Quilena didn't give you enough."

"Why would you go so far just for me?" Dreigul asked, feeling terrible of the amount of charity given. The captain merely smirks at the question.

"Please lad, this is the least I can to do without risking my men's lives. Though a nightmarish evil yearns to tear you asunder, I and many more like me will want more than anything to see you overcome such a fate."

The captain pats Dreigul on his shoulders, about to head to his own quarters before turning back to the boy. He opens a small barrel that was concealed in his coat and tosses Dreigul a piece of meat that lands right in his palm.

"Mosswine Jerky, I figured you'd be hungry. Should hold you over till we reach Jumbo Village...Good night, Dreigul." The captain says before entering his chambers, leaving the boy to his thoughts.

Dreigul fidgets with the jerky piece until finally deciding to consume it. He sheds a tear knowing that he'd have to remain in seclusion till the end of his days, restraining himself from making ties with people. Until he could get used his new lifestyle, Dreigul took comfort from the creeping sun just over the horizon, allowing him a slight glimmer of hope as dawn arrived.


	3. Readying for Reclusion

"Jumbo Village, inbound!" The helmsman shouted as he began pulling a lever, making the airship descend towards the bustling settlement. Every able bodied crew mate scurried around the ship as Dreigul groggily sloshed out of the cabins. The captain remained stoic as he oversaw the crew's duties, before turning to the young boy.

"We're prepping to land now. Do you have all your stuff together?"

Dreigul nods in response.

"Good, we'll be landing momentarily." the Captain replied, setting his gaze to the village below.

Dreigul places himself beside the Captain.

"I don't think..I will put you in the report."

"What brought that on?" Dreigul asked, turning to him.

"You're marked, it's best if you had one less issue to worry about."

"It does clear a path..." The boy admitted.

A commotion took the two out of their conversation, the Captain notices his crew had begun releasing the airship's hauling lines to the village's receiving ground team.

"And now son, you must follow your own." The captain stated, patting the boy's shoulder as the ship maintained a balance suitable for disembarkation.

Dreigul let out a sigh, and marched off the airship stairway, each step felt like weights added onto his shoulders. He touched the village soil and turned back to the captain, observing him from a different light.

The man's eyes never wavered, remaining adamant with each command he fired off at his crew as he paced slowly across the deck made from the spines of the Black God. The mere sight inspired Dreigul to own the responsibility, hoisting it upon his shoulders like a cloak made of Jaggi hide.

"I don't think I ever got your name, sir." Dreigul stammered, for he couldn't thank the man enough.

"Yldegrah..." He replied as he disappeared from view.

Dreigul smiled and left for the center of town, onward to the beginning of the rest of his life.

* * *

The village swarmed with Wyverians, Feylines, and Humans alike going from place to place in organized chaos. From what Dreigul could tell as he walked past them, he knew most were hunters from other settlements. He noticed as clearly exausted hunters with weapons the size of himself shuffle by with relative ease, complaining not of how heavy their gear was but of the monsters they had to deal with.

"Damn it all, remind me to never hunt two Cephadromes at the same time again!" one of them said.

"Just be grateful you didn't have to hunt a Plesioth." another reassured.

"Do you know how long it's gonna take to get every grain of sand out of my armor? I'd rather take the Plesioth!" The first hunter fired back, causing the other hunters to laugh while they passed by the marked boy.

* * *

Dreigul wanders towards the village smithy, who was an elderly Wyverian woman. After dealing with a customer prior to the boy's arrival, she perks up slightly.

"Well, well, well, it's quite the rarity to have a customer so young," the smithy chuckles lightly, "what brings you in the limelight of hunting dearie, business or pleasure?"

Dreigul pondered for a moment thinking on Yldegrah's situation, attempting to find a good excuse, but to no avail.

"I just needed to get outta the house," he said flatly.

"Hmm," she muttered before continuing, "it's a shame you're getting in so young, I'd give you the heavier stuff but you don't got any meat on them bones just yet."

"What do you think I'll be able to use?" the boy asked, unsure of his options.

"Well, it all depends on how you want to hunt. Perhaps you'd like to test some for yourself?"

The smithy went around the back of the forge and opened a blue chest, struggling as she dug through the mass of metal and fine leathers inside. She emerged from the chest with an assortment of weapons in her grasp, and gently placed them beside the forge for Dreigul to inspect.

"This is the surplus the Armory crew threw out. I'm fixin' to smelt down whatever you don't choose." she said as she stretched, cracking her back.

The boy sifted through the pile and dug up a light bowgun.

"At first glance, I wouldn't have expected you to be interested in that sort of firepower..."

Dreigul hefted the weapon's stock to his underarm, then hoisted the handguard with his other hand to the same level. He aimed down the sights of the bowgun, shaking due to the bulk of the weapon. Before he could settle into the weapon a sudden image flashed in his mind, only to reveal something aiming down _his_ sights.

The Fatalis' eye.

Terrified, Dreigul dropped the bowgun back in the weapon pile.

"Seems my gut was correct," the smithy said unphased, sifting through the pile, "maybe a sword and shield is more your speed at this time. "

She grabs a shield that had perpendicular protruding crystals embedded within, as well as a curved blade with a bone-like hilt.

"These should be good for now," she said while handing Dreigul his weaponry.

"Fasten to your waist like so," She says, demonstrating where to sheath the blade, "As for your armor, I'll have you start with leather all around."

As the smithy tossed the armor as if it were nothing at his feet, Dreigul grabbed the armor set, dusting off each piece prior to equipping.

"That'll be 950 zenny all together."

The boy stopped in his tracks, dropping the helm he had yet to put on.

"Relax, I'm only joking," The Smithy giggled, "you don't get charged for your first equipment set, silly!"

The Smithy grabbed the helmet off the ground, cleaning it of any debris before fastening it to Dreigul's head.

"The new hunters are getting younger in droves, I swea-" She muttered before she halted motion, noticing a strange look in the boy's eyes.

Dreigul's turquoise eyes seemed to quiver slightly, and almost fade in color as if the light never graced them. She then took a whiff of him, not realizing prior that a fume was abundant upon him.

It was the scent of ash and cinders, all too recently, it seemed.

"You've seen death, haven't you?"

Dreigul's eyes lower as he nods in response.

"Where?" she asked.

"A village in South El De."

"You're marked, aren't you?"

He nods again, earning a sigh from her.

"You're young, all on your own, and you plan live a nomadic lifestyle. I can only assume that you've yet to take the hunter's exams, therefore lacking a Guild Card." she concluded, prepping to take back Dreigul's gear, "I knew something was a little off about you, the Guild won't stand for this..."

"I'm sorry to put you in this kind of position. Even so, I can't afford to stay here. I just couldn't bear to see people I grow fond of turn to dust! Please, don't report me..." Dreigul pleaded, bowing his head.

The Smithy eyed him momentarily and sighed.

"You've got a lotta gall and determination to attempt this in your condition. If I do this I want you to promise me something..."

"Anything..." Dreigul replied, not raising his head.

"Whenever your mind drifts, I want you to repeat something to keep you in check: One who's driven by stars, following the ode to life, must heed the call when the bonds of wind reach out. In other words, you can't go through with this lifestyle all by your lonesome."

"But Yldegrah said-"

"Yldegrah? He's a man who's got a vastly different outlook in comparison to you. Everyone goes about things differently, sweetie."

The Smithy moved to her storage unit, pulling out a small metal plaque. She carves engravings into the plaque, and grabs what seems to be a branding seal to stamp it. Dreigul was handed a Gulid Card, steaming from the branding it was given.

"Here you go kiddo," she murmured, "just because you're in quite the situation it doesn't mean isolation is healthy, ya hear me?"

"Th-thank you." he replied squeamishly, putting the card in his sleeve and began rushing out of the shop.

"One more thing, boy..."

Dreigul stopped in his tracks, and turned to the Smithy.

She grabs a capsule out of her pocket, and tosses it to him.

Upon catching the vial, he takes a quick look at the vial.

"It's Deodorant. You reek like a burnt steak." She said with a smirk.

Dreigul grinned in appreciation and ran out of the Smithy.

* * *

Dreigul ran to the local shopkeep, but was beaten to the punch by an older hunter who donned amor that had a bluish crustacean touch to it. The hunter purchased 8 stocks of dung, and prepped to leave. The marked boy merely eyed the batch of droppings the hunter purchased, until said customer turned to him.

"Pickles, son. Pickles..." the hunter uttered whilst walking past him.

Though confused by the hunter's words, Dreigul found it better to focus on the task at hand. He didn't want to stay any longer than he needed to.

"Hi, I'd like to purchase a Barbecue Spit and 5 potions please." He said, trying to be as polite as possible.

"Coming right up," the shopkeep replied, placing the requested supplies on the counter, "That'll be 890 zenny."

Dreigul put the zenny on the table and grabbed the supplies, aiming to leave the town as soon as he can.

* * *

The boy reaches the village gate, aiming his sites down the only road that leads out into the vast wilderness. He could almost witness the natural beauty he'd encounter as his foot prepped to make its first step into the great outdoors...

"Hold it, kid!"

Dreigul flinches, and turns to the source of the outcry.

A woman in a green dress walks up to him, and studies him.

"Judging by your gear, I'd say you're a novice hunter." she said with an analytical glare.

"Y-yeah..."

"Good thing I caught you. Usually, you're supposed to check in with me to head out on hunting quests..." She said.

"Oh, I am sorry. I've just been in a rush to get out there." Dreigul said sheepishly.

"No worries! Due to the success of the Research Commission in the New World, the Hunter's Guild has allowed celebratory expedtioning, so you're in the clear! I just wanted to check your credentials." She smiled sweetly.

"Cr-Credentials?" asked Dreigul, unaware of the word.

"You don't have a Guild Card?"

"Oh, that's what you meant!" Dreigul chuckled, grabbing the card out from within his sleeve.

The woman inspects the card for a moment, and nods in approval.

"Alright, you're good to go," She said as she left the gate, "Safe travels, hunter!"

Almost as if he'd waited his whole life to, Dreigul began running out of the village gate down the singular road. It was the last he'd see of civilization for quite a long time, and he was slightly reluctant to leave.

 _I got out! I'm gonna get out and make sure I pay Yldegrah every coin back! I'm gonna do it! All by my...self..._

 _Alone..._

Dreigul started slowing down.

 _Alone._

 _Gone...everyone...no._

The odor upon him of the crimson night had seeped into his nostrils, causing his hands to twitch lightly at the very reminder that he was there. He began hyperventilating, almost to the point of wheezing as tears of horror and grief descended onto his leathery mitts. Shaking uncontrollably, the marked boy pulled out the Deodorant vial, and began tightening his grip on it, trying to keep in mind of the words the Smithy told him to repeat. He allows deep seethes to escape his gritted teeth before smashing the vial, causing a blue smoke to emanate from the broken pieces. Breathing in the fumes, his mind returns as his body no longer had the scent of cinders. He turned back once more to the village gate, and cleared his sinuses before continuing to march out into the wild.


End file.
